Prayers and Aloha for Maui

I just arrived here on Maui where the fatalities count from this week’s catastrophic fires continues to rise. Sadly, officials are reporting 93 individuals were killed because of the fire, with over 1,000 still missing. Everyone from the area that I’ve talked to has said that the number of people who died is significantly higher than what’s been reported. Within hours, Lahaina was razed to the ground, with most people having no warning or time to evacuate.

My heart is breaking daily for the lives lost, and the people and families who escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs. My heart breaks for this community which will never be the same.

So many of you have reached out, expressing your concern, sharing your prayers for the people of Maui, and asking how can you help.

The needs of the community continue to evolve on a daily basis. The support that this community needs is urgent now, and will continue to persist for the months and years to come as they begin the long process of rebuilding.

There are many organizations doing great work on the ground. I’m raising funds through my non-profit “We Must Protect” to get support to those who need it most. It’s a completely volunteer-run organization committed to ensuring every dollar contributed is used to provide maximum positive impact to those we serve.

2,170 beautiful acres have burnt to ash. 2,200 buildings have been destroyed — homes, businesses, historic landmarks, and community pillars.

I served this community for 8 years as their Representative in Congress and walked the streets of historic Lahaina so many times. It’s as though a bomb exploded and destroyed the entire community. Lahaina is unrecognizable today.

I’ve met with business owners, residents, community leaders, first responders, health care professionals, students, teachers, farmers. This community is filled with people who love their home, are proud of their community, and are doing all that they can to support each other right now. My goal is to support them.

Every dollar that you contribute to our Maui Relief Fund will go to support our brothers and sisters on Maui who are struggling and suffering in ways that are impossible to measure. They need our aloha and urgent support to meet basic needs like medicine, food, fuel, transportation, and temporary housing. We’re also supporting local organizations that are mobilized here on the ground to offer both immediate services and those required for the long road ahead to recover and rebuild.

This crisis is far from over. There's so much pain, fear, grief, frustration, and incredible suffering. And yet, the real mourning has not even begun, as so many families here are still in survival mode — just trying to make it to tomorrow.

Please donate what you can to help those who are most in need right now. Mahalo for standing with the people of Maui during this tragic and unprecedented time of immense loss.

Thank you for sharing this with your friends and family who are concerned for Maui’s people and may be moved to support them.